New Mexico will host Air Force on Saturday for its sixth homecoming game under head coach Bob Davie since he started leading the program.
During his time at the helm, the Lobos have transformed into a team that has the ability to compete week-in, week-out. Here is a look back at the previous five homecoming games and some of the notable performances.
Oct. 6, 2012 vs Texas St, Lobos win 35-14
Quarterback B.R. Holbrook threw the ball just three times, completing a lone pass for a mere nine yards, but Lobo running back Kasey Carrier picked up the slack by carrying the ball 23 times for 191 yards and four touchdowns.
New Mexico got out of the gate quickly, scoring first and forcing a fumble on the ensuing kickoff. UNM went up 14-0 and never looked back. The defense also intercepted three passes and forced a fumble to help the team pull away.
The groundwork for the kind of team New Mexico could be emerged, as the Lobos gained 361 rushing yards in the game.
“We rushed for 200 yards in the first half,” Davie said in a release at the time. “That’s pretty impressive when you can rush for 200 yards on mostly dives. Pretty impressive.”
The victory marked the team’s third win in six games, matching the win total of the past three seasons combined.
Sept. 28, 2013 vs UNLV, Lobos lose 56-42
New Mexico combined for nearly 500 rushing yards with Carrier leading a trio of runners with 192 yards on the ground. Carlos Wiggins picked up 119 on just three carries, but it wasn’t enough to keep pace with UNLV. The Lobos led for much of the game, but faded in the fourth quarter as the Rebels scored the final 14 points of the game.
UNLV quarterback Caleb Herring found wide receiver Devante Davis early and often, connecting with him 10 times for 164 yards and three touchdowns. The Rebels had a balanced attack, as running back Tim Cornett unleashed a 179-yard rushing performance.
Sept. 26, 2014 vs Fresno State, Lobos lose 35-24
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The Lobos suffered its second consecutive homecoming loss as the Bulldogs put the defensive clamps on New Mexico in the second half.
UNM led 17-14 at the half, but Fresno State exploded for nearly 600 yards of total offense. It gave Davie pause when he spoke about whether or not his team’s defense was ready to close out big games.
“We’re just not mature enough right now to execute at an extended period of time against a good team,” he said in a release. “We are nowhere near where we will be on defense. Trust me. The stage was set. We’re just not yet seasoned enough...I think right now, just being brutally honest, the game is too fast for us on defense.”
Oct. 17, 2015 vs Hawaii, Lobos win 28-27
The defense made strides in the next homecoming game, rebounding from a tough start to close strong. Hawaii cruised to a 24-14 halftime advantage while the Lobos struggled to find their groove on offense. A 100-yard kickoff return from Wiggins helped keep the Lobos in striking distance.
New Mexico began chipping away at the lead, and quarterback Austin Apodaca delivered the go-ahead touchdown, a 28-yard pass to Dameon Gamblin with 55 seconds remaining. Then the defense slammed the door after safety Lee Crosby laid out to intercept a pass to thwart Hawaii’s comeback bid.
Oct. 1, 2016 vs San Jose State, Lobos win 48-41
New Mexico outlasted San Jose State, despite giving up 21 fourth-quarter points and making the final score appear closer than the game actually was. The Spartans scored a touchdown with 31 seconds to make it a single-possession game but couldn’t recover the ensuing onside kick.
Running back Richard McQuarley scored three touchdowns on the day, perhaps none bigger than his 6-yard run to put the Lobos up by 14 with just under three minutes to play. New Mexico picked up an impressive 446 yards as a team.
Teriyon Gipson led all runners with 156 yards on just 11 rushes and was joined by Tyrone Owens as 100-yard rushers, with Owens accounting for 117 yards.
The Lobo defense conceded many passing yards and points but played a key role in the game regardless. UNM enjoyed its largest lead of the game at 41-20 after Austin Ocasio returned an interception 37 yards for a defensive touchdown.
The 2017 UNM homecoming game against Air Force will take place Saturday, Sept. 30 at Dreamstyle Stadium with a scheduled time of 5 p.m.
Robert Maler is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers basketball, football and tennis. He can be contacted at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter
@robert_maler.
